Centipedes are superficially similar to millipedes, and are indeed
distantly related to them. However, unlike millipedes, all centipedes
are
carnivores that mostly feed on other invertebrates. They can also
scavenge, taking advantage of dead animals that they find while
prowling. They subdue their prey through a unique mechanism
consisting of a first pair of legs (called "forcipules") modified into
strong and needle-sharp pincers that look like fangs. With such, they
puncture the exoskeletons or skins of their prey
and inject their venom, which paralyzes their victims in seconds. Since
a centipede's weapons are modified locomotive appendages its sting is
not a true bite but, rather, a sort of venomous "pinch".

Their common name ("hundred feet") does not hold true for most
species. However, some species of the order Geophilomorpha do have up
to 200 legs, given their extremely elongated bodies divided into very
many segments.

Order
Notostigmophora: Common Centipedes

The members of this order are rather small centipedes with very short
bodies elongated legs. Some species have well-developed compound eyes,
by comparison to the far larger but almost blind scolopendromorph
centipedes. Most varieties are harmless to humans, due to their tiny
size.

The members of this order are often tiny and extremely thin. They are
the only centipedes that truly live up to the group's name,
for indeed some species have more than a hundred pairs of legs. Most
are too small to pose any threat to humans, yet one of the longest
centipedes known, Himantarium gabrielis, belongs to this group
and is more than 20 centimeters in length. True to their fossorial
habits all of these species are totally blind.

This is the largest geophilomorph centipede I have seen in my life, and
yet it was barely 5 centimeters in length. Species undetermined.
Guanica State Forest, south-western Puerto Rico.

Order
Scolopendromorpha: Giant Centipedes and Their Kin

While
most centipedes are small and rather harmless, some species of the
order Scolopendromorpha
can reach more than 20 centimeters in length. Normally their venom is
not life-threatening to a healthy
human,
but being stung by one can still be a very painful and disagreeable
experience. In fact, the specific symptoms produced by their venom is
called "scolopendrism".

Large centipedes can be fast and possess very quick reflexes that
require lots of caution when dealing with them. They can go from being
totally motionless to attacking anything that moves near them with
appalling speed.

Together with some of the larger spiders, scorpions, and other venomous
invertebrates,
centipedes have recently earned a place among animal enthusiasts who
seek exotic and unusual pets to keep. However, unlike those others,
centipedes can be
notoriously unpredictable and ill-tempered. While one may frequently
handle, say, a tarantula or
whip scorpion with ease, attempting to do the same with a large
scolopendromorph centipede might be a bad idea.

Many of these creatures possess vivid hues of reds, oranges, yellows,
blacks, greens, and blues. These aposematic
patterns, as with some millipedes, insects, snakes, and other animals,
serve
to identify their owners as dangerous animals.

One of the several
giant centipedes of the Caribbean: the Puerto Rican Scolopendra
angulata.

First photograph: Maricao State Forest, western Puerto Rico.

Second photograph: Florida, north-central Puerto Rico.

The bases of the sharp pincers
(actually a modified first pair of legs) of this individualcanbeseenbesidesthe flat and almost circular head in
the second individual.

The pain it causes can be
intense and may last for hours, but the venom is
seldom, if ever, fatal to healthy humans.

Besides their bright colors and irritable dispositions, which alone may
deter an attacker, many centipedes of this order exhibit the habit of
raising the posterior end of their bodies and erecting the last pair of
legs high in the air when they feel threatened. This has led many
people to mistakenly believe that the animal's sting is in its rear.
However, even if attacked from the back, the animal can still surprise
its enemy by quickly clinging to it with its last legs and bending
backwards, bringing the real business end of itself into action.

Scolopendromorph centipedes will attack any prey of suitable size.
These include slugs, earthworms, insects and spiders of all sorts, and
even other centipedes. The largest species are perfectly capable of
subduing and devouring vertebrates like frogs, lizards, and even mice
and small birds and bats. The animal will tightly hold on to its victim
with several pairs of legs while using its double stingers to kill it.

The females of many species of centipedes, especially those of the
orders
Scolopendromorpha and and Lithobiomorpha, take care of their eggs and
young. This behavioral trait, unusual among invertebrates, ensures that
the next generation has a better start in life, as they are protected
from potential predators by their mothers.